Luke Fink Drifts Ebisu Minami Three Years After Closure
It’s already nearly three years since Ebisu Minami’s official closure shook the drift community, but Luke Fink gets the opportunity to throw down some laps.
The legendary Minami course, damaged by the devastating Fukushima earthquake, marked the end of its iconic competitive drift era in 2021.
Ebisu owner and legendary Japanese drifter (and rally driver) Nobushige Kumakubo announced that the closure would happen for various reasons, including safety concerns with the ever-increasing power output of modern drift cars.
With these points in mind, he vowed to (eventually) return Minami to its original rally roots, much to the dismay of drifting enthusiasts.
However, on a recent return to the Ebisu Complex in the video above, soon-to-be Formula DRIFT competitor Luke Fink showed that the work is not yet completed, and not all hope is lost for Minami’s legendary jump three years later, which made it the most iconic track in drifting.
Fink explains that the track is “a little bit cleaner now.” Based on this, it must have been in a pretty bad state!
As he drives around, it certainly looks different from what fans will remember, with huge banks now lining the layout where the solid walls used to be, which once frequently saw some of the world’s finest drift cars past pouring out huge smoke clouds.
Thankfully, the infamous jump section remains for now, and Luke Fink makes the most of the opportunity to go lock-to-lock across the entire Minami circuit and, of course, throw down some backies in his Australian Ford Falcon (a rare sight in Japan!) while the opportunity is still there.
At the end of the video, Fink also takes the opportunity to earn some bonus dad points by letting his son, Boston, (safely) get behind the wheel in a closed area of Ebisu. (No, he’s not doing “the jump” – don’t worry!)
Ultimate childhood dreams right there! Could we see the next (Aussie) Hiroya Minowa in the making? Only time will tell!
If you want to drift the Ebisu Complex for yourself, keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming CarX Drift Racing 3 release on December 5, 2024. Hopefully, the virtual Minami will be safe from another Kumakubo closure!
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Bill is a writer and photographer who has been part of the Drifted team since 2015. His work extends to various print and online publications, including Wangan Warriors.
As part of the King of Nations team, he traveled extensively for several years, capturing top-tier international drift events worldwide. His hands-on experience, including rebuilding his own Nissan Silvia S15 drift car, gives him unique insights into drift car building and global drift culture.
When not behind the lens or keyboard, Bill can be found browsing classifieds for his next JDM project or shredding virtual tires on popular simulators like Assetto Corsa, CarX, and Forza.
You can learn more about Bill’s story here or follow his socials on X (formerly Twitter), Flickr, Facebook, and Instagram.
